Pro Basketball Talk was in Miami for the release of the Nike LeBron 8 PS, the playoff series edition of LeBron James’ signature shoe. In this third and final part of of our profile, we break down how the shoe performed on the court … the Miami Heat’s home court, at American Airlines Arena.

Nike flew a group of media members to Miami for the weekend for the release of the LeBron 8 PS. The shoes were globally released to the public last Saturday, the same day that the Heat opened the playoffs with a Game 1 home win over the Sixers. The whole experience, as you might imagine, was pretty insane.

After everyone got into town and checked into a hotel that was far, far nicer than necessary — and after everyone somehow found their way out of their ridiculously large, multi-room individual suites — it was time for a trip to the American Airlines arena, where the group was led through the underbelly of the massive building and into an auxiliary locker room. Waiting for us when we got there was a full compliment of basketball gear to prepare us for the actual wear test.

Once the presentation from Nike lead designer Jason Petrie was finished, and the question and answer session with the media was complete, it was time to hit the floor for some hoops to test the footwear out. But not in the PS 8s just yet.

Nike wanted us to feel the difference between the V2s and the latest edition, both in terms of the weight difference and in how the different technology feels while wearing them in a basketball situation. We all put on a new pair of the V2s and headed out of the locker room, through the tunnel, and onto the Heat’s home court.

As we walked onto the floor, a group of “coaches” was there waiting for us. The first extended his hand to me and introduced himself: “Hey. Kenny.” No big deal. It was only Kenny Anderson.

They started things off by leading us in some warmup stretching, then put us through some fairly standard basketball practice drills (three-man weave, screen and pop, two-man full court fast break, etc.) so we could get a feel for the shoe’s performance.

(Side note: This was actually pretty hilarious, for a couple of reasons. First off, it was immediately clear that not everyone in the group had experienced playing organized team basketball, and for a couple of players, it seemed as though they hadn’t played basketball in any capacity in a long, long time. Now, this is not a knock on anyone, because really, any fan of shoes or the game of basketball in any capacity likely would have killed for this experience. But the coaches running us through the drills didn’t seem to recognize this, because they just shouted a few vague instructions — “Hey! No! Behind!” — instead of running through a demo of each drill so that those unfamiliar could see how it was supposed to be done. It’s probably safe to say that we won’t see Anderson roaming the sidelines in a coaching capacity anytime soon.)

The V2s felt great — comfortable, bouncy (thanks to the full-length air bag), and supportive. After the drills were finished, we heeded to the bench to change into the new PSs, then broke into teams for half-court scrimmages.

The quality of basketball in these pickup games wasn’t the best; we had a wide mix of basketball ability, combined with the fact that everyone was playing in a professional arena for the first time, so it took some getting used to. The biggest issues in playing on an NBA floor for the first time are adjusting to shooting against such a huge backdrop, and obviously the size of the court, which came into play near the end of our time when we got to run full for the last 20 minutes or so. But eventually, guys were knocking down shots and making some decent plays out there.

As for the PS editions, they handled well, and were much lighter and really just completely different than the V2s. The weight difference was immediately noticeable, but the way the shoe provides overall support was also extremely different, and if you’re someone who has traditionally played in heavier shoes, these will take some getting used to. But once you do, the shoe feels exactly like that slimmed-down, high-performance edition that Petrie was going for.

The support is definitely there, even if the shoe’s lightness may not make you feel like it at first. There’s plenty of heel cushion, and the pad in the front of the shoe that’s there to compensate for dropping the full length airbag provides more than enough spring.

As with all basketball shoes, it’s all going to come down to personal preference: some people like a tighter fit, some need more ankle support, some like a heavier shoe to feel like they’re being fully protected. But whatever your preferences might be, it’s hard to imagine anyone being dissatisfied with the overall look, feel, and performance of the Nike LeBron 8 PS.

At this point, you’re probably thinking something along the lines of, “Well, what’s he going to say? Look at the experience Nike gave these guys!” And there’s some truth to that — it was a first-class weekend that was a blast to be a part of. But at the same time, Nike makes quality products, plain and simple. You know this, and they know this. So even if these shoes don’t end up being your favorites or you find that you prefer a different model or brand to play in consistently, as I said, it would simply come down to personal preference. Because from a quality standpoint, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything to truly complain about when it comes to these ones.

Pro Basketball Talk was in Miami for the release of the Nike LeBron 8 PS, the playoff series edition of LeBron James‘ signature shoe. In Part Two of our three-part profile, we take a look at the design of the PS, and how it’s built for the shorter playoff season.

As we touched on in part one, the LeBron 8 PS is a completely different shoe from that of its predecessor, the V2. The PS managed to cut weight, while still maintaining the performance that a player of LeBron’s caliber requires.

Besides the aesthetic design, which (in my opinion) makes the latest edition the best looking of the three, there were significant changes to both the exterior and the air support that makes this version the highest performing of the three in the series.

The V2 had the full-length airbag, which was important in providing support and lessening the overall impact on the body over an 82-game season. For the sprint of the playoff run, however, the PS changed it up by using a Max Air 180 unit in the heel and a Nike Zoom unit in the forefoot. That, along with a lighter, redesigned upper shaved a total of 2.5 ounces of weight off the shoe.

How light this shoe has become was of special interest, due to the fact that a competitor released a shoe just days earlier that they claim to be “the world’s lightest basketball shoe.” Nike designer Jason Petrie didn’t address this specifically, but he did mention that making the PS as light as possible wasn’t the goal. Instead, they needed to make it “appropriately light” while still providing an elite level of performance.

“We probably could have gone a little lighter, but LeBron kind of stopped us,” Petrie said. “He said, ‘This feels great. I don’t want something that feels like a slipper as far as weight goes. I need something that I feel supported and that I feel comfortable in.’ So what we tried to do is get as light as we could while providing for those needs for LeBron.”

“It’s not about making the most light shoe that you can,” Petrie added. “It’s about making it appropriately light for him.”

Video of the rest of Petrie’s discussion of the Nike LeBron PS 8 can be seen in the clip below.

Pro Basketball Talk was in Miami for the release of the Nike LeBron 8 PS, the playoff series edition of LeBron James’ signature shoe. In Part One of our three-part profile, we look at the concept behind designing a signature shoe series for one of the game’s top players.

If you’re at all into sneaker culture, or maybe just curious about the creative and technical aspects of what goes into designing performance footwear for the game’s elite athletes, then the presentation given by Nike footwear designer Jason Petrie on the LeBron 8 PS is something you’re likely to find extremely interesting.

Addressing a select group of media that Nike flew into town for the occasion, Petrie began by talking about the creative process, and the concept behind designing the three very different editions of the shoes that James has worn over the course of the season.

The PS is the final release of the LeBron 8s, and instead of merely changing colorways or making minor aesthetic tweaks to the shoe as the series went on, the plan was to evolve the line for the different performance needs that a player has as the season progresses. The word Petrie used to describe it was “transformation,” and there’s no doubt that the sneakers have undergone exactly that from the first to the third editions.

Petrie’s discussion of the creative process can be seen in the video clip below.

Like most of the NBA’s superstars, LeBron James will be breaking out a new edition of his signature shoes for the postseason. Nike will release the LeBron 8 PS globally on April 16th, the final version in a series of three LeBron 8 styles.

The latest edition is 1.5 ounces lighter than its predecessor, and is the first LeBron signature shoe to feature Nike’s Hyperfuse construction, according to the company’s release.

The LEBRON 8 PS continues the trend of maximizing lightweight strength for the seven-time All- Star’s eighth signature shoe. As LeBron’s first signature shoe featuring Hyperfuse construction, the LEBRON 8 PS sheds 1.5 ounces from the regular season model (U.S. Men’s Size 9), making a statement as the 82-game season comes to a close and the playoffs begin. By creating a shoe that is lightweight, supportive, breathable and durable, the LEBRON 8 PS is the perfect weapon for the sprint at the end of the marathon, when the smallest detail can make all the difference.

“Heading into the final stretch of the season, the LEBRON 8 PS mirrors my evolving game as strength and endurance are tested,” said James. “The lion symbol on the tongue of all three versions of my eighth signature shoe keep me hungry and focused each time I lace up.”

For added lightness, Petrie changed up the Max Air cushioning from the Max Air 360 unit to a lighter Max Air 180 unit in the heel, Nike Zoom unit in the forefoot and carbon fiber in the arch to create an evolved cushioning system engineered for LeBron. The full-length Cushlon midsole of the LEBRON 8 PS provides springy, resilient and durable cushioning and comfort.

The solid rubber outsole’s herringbone pattern and outrigger provide superior traction, quickness and lateral stability, while the exaggerated flex grooves in the forefoot and heel expose the midsole foam to reduce the overall weight of the shoe.

We’ll have plenty more later this weekend, including some thoughts from Jason Petrie (one of the shoe’s lead designers), as well as a full review of how they actually perform on the basketball court.